Businesses have long faced wireless problems that traditional technologies like Wi-Fi cannot solve. Free access to proprietary LTE and 5G on spectrum, such as the Citizens Broadband Radio Service or CBRS in the US, can help with some of these issues.

Another compelling reason to use CBRS has recently emerged: a neutral host network. A neutral host network is a cost-effective architecture that uses private 5G to extend public carrier cellular signals to locations or areas with poor signal strength.

Here's what businesses should know about host neutral networking and what it can do for small and large businesses.

Improve cellular signal strength

Since the advent of smartphones, cellular voice and data networks have exploded, and access to these networks has become a must for businesses. But one of the downsides of cellular networks is limited signal penetration. When this problem occurs, the carrier signal cannot reach the company building or certain areas within the campus.

One way for businesses to address this is to extend their carrier signals to areas with poor connectivity, said Srinivasan Balasubramanian, a distinguished member of Celona's Office of the Chief Technology Officer and head of standards and IP. Businesses have traditionally expanded their signals by using signal boosters or distributed antenna systems (DAS). While these methods are effective, they also have their drawbacks.

According to Balasubramanian, boosters are only useful if the carrier signal isn't distorted enough to be amplified. DAS, on the other hand, is an easier way for businesses to extend their signal to all parts of a building, but it is too costly to deploy for most businesses.

"In many cases, neither solution will solve the problem, and a neutral host is very useful here," Balasubramanian said.

What is a neutral host network?

Neutral host networking is a method of disseminating public carrier network access over a proprietary deployed wireless network. The technology uses the building's internal switching architecture, as well as dedicated LTE or dedicated 5G. Businesses can connect to the carrier network through an encrypted tunnel over the Internet.

From there, network professionals can use the LAN and 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) in the building or campus to spread the signal over a dedicated channel such as CBRS Band 48. Any CBRS-enabled cellular device can then access the public carrier network as if it were directly connected to it.

How Host Neutral Networking Works

Balasubramanian said two or more mobile network operators (MNOs) could deploy a host-neutral network by connecting to the corporate LAN through encrypted IPsec tunnels over the Internet. The tunnel terminates at the 5G RAN core gateway equipment. From there, the signal safely traverses the corporate LAN and reaches 5G RAN access points deployed throughout the building.

The carrier signal then extends through the CBRS channel throughout the building, and the carrier traffic travels across the corporate network using a secure IPsec tunnel, Balasubramanian said.

"To ensure operability and performance are maintained, key performance indicators are exchanged between the 5G RAN core and service providers," he said.

Who Should Deploy Host Neutral Networking?

New use cases for deploying host-neutral networks are emerging. One reason businesses might consider deploying a host-neutral network is when their facility requires a public carrier connection to perform operations, Balasubramanian said. For example, businesses could use a proprietary 5G network internally and use a host-neutral network to boost signal strength and capacity, he added.

Another use case for a neutral host network he cited was granting employee or customer guests access to a public carrier network. Examples include university campuses, hospitals, and public or private locations.

"In these cases, public operator access through neutral host networks may be the main driver for the deployment of private 5G networks, and when these opportunities arise, private RAN may be an option," he noted.

In the past, these businesses typically deployed DAS, he said. Now, they may prefer to use a neutral host network instead of 5G as a more cost-effective and flexible alternative.

Neutral Host Network Prospects

In the U.S., host-neutral networks have yet to be rolled out, but collaborations between private CBRS RAN manufacturers and nationwide cellular operators are underway. Celona, ​​for example, is working with U.S. carriers to broadcast public carrier services over the CBRS band. Other MNOs are working to develop neutral host networks on a global scale. In Europe, for example, Ericsson is working with Proptivity to launch the first neutral host network in Sweden later in 2022 as an indoor 5G service.